LYNN — An assault on a McDonald’s employee Saturday has prompted concern from city councilors about groups of teenagers gathering across Lynn and renewed calls for more resources aimed at the city’s young people.

The incident occurred at the McDonald’s on Boston Street, where a large group of teenagers entered the restaurant before several began assaulting an employee who had been working at the drive-thru.

Videos circulating on social media showed two or three people striking the employee as a larger group crowded around them, with several recording the assault on their cellphones.

The Lynn Police Department had not provided additional information about the incident as of Monday, including whether anyone had been arrested or charged.

Ward 7 Councilor Jordan Avery called recent incidents involving groups of young people “extremely troubling and disheartening” and urged those who witness violence to seek safety and contact authorities rather than encourage or record it.

“When we see a situation escalating, our response should not be to encourage it or treat it as entertainment for social media,” Avery said.

Councilor-at-Large Nicole McClain also called for accountability, calling the incident “disturbing,” though not reflective of the potential of young people in the city.

McClain had spent much of Saturday at Lynn’s Youth Voice Summit before later learning about the incident. She said the contrast should not be used to divide young people into those who are on the right path and those who are not.

“A teenager who spends Saturday in a leadership workshop can still lose their temper Monday,” McClain said. “A teenager who participates in a fight can still have leadership potential, talent, dreams, people who love them, and the capacity to make very different decisions tomorrow.”

McClain said parenting, accountability, peer influence, environment, mental health, and opportunity can all play a role in the decisions young people make, while some have fewer resources and less access to positive opportunities.

“None of that excuses harmful behavior,” McClain said. “Understanding why something happens is not the same as excusing it.”

For McClain, the incident also underscored her call for the creation of a City of Lynn Youth Department. She envisioned a department that could coordinate outreach and programming, pursue grants, work with existing organizations, and help families find opportunities available throughout the city.

“This isn’t about pretending government can save every young person. It can’t,” McClain said. “Parents can’t control every decision. Teachers can’t. Coaches can’t. Mentors can’t. Programs can’t. But that doesn’t make the work any less worth doing.”

Ward 6 Councilor Fred Hogan, meanwhile, described recent gatherings as “teen takeovers” and urged parents to know where their children are and who they are with.

Hogan referenced both the McDonald’s incident and recent disturbances surrounding the 34th annual Shoe City Classic basketball tournament at Marian Gardens, while emphasizing that the behavior should not be attributed to Lynn’s young people as a whole.

“This is not about labeling all of Lynn’s youth,” Hogan said. “We have thousands of great kids and teenagers in this city doing positive things every single day.”

Avery similarly said addressing the issue would require cooperation among city government, police, schools, youth organizations, community leaders, and families.

“These are our children, our neighbors, and our city,” Avery said. “Protecting and guiding the next generation must be a responsibility we all share.”

The post McDonald’s incident sparks concern for Lynn’s teens appeared first on Itemlive.

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